Support for books and the like



Nov. 22, 1932. H. E. BENNETT SUPPORT FOR BOOKS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet T INVENTOR.

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Nov. 22, 1932. H. E. BENNETT SUPPORT FOR BOOKS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet y IIIlIlIIIIIII/llll INVENTOR JiBannaZi ML BY (A it? r A TTORNEYJ Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNETED STATES HENRY E. BENNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SUPPORT FOR- BOOKS AND THE LIKE Application filed January 20, 1930. Serial No. 421,939.

The present invention relates to supports for books and the like; and its object is, generally, to provide an improved device of that character adapted to be mounted in a school desk or on a table or other suitable base; and more particularly, to provide such a device which shall be collapsible; and further, to provide such a device having relatively slidable or turnable parts adapted to be moved to the usable position and to the collapsible position of the device.

This and any other and more specific objects are attained by, and the invention finds preferable embodiment in, the structures hereinafter particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a desk top to which is applied a supporting device for books and the like, said device being shown in raised or usable position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same taken on line 22 of Figure 5, the device being shown in collapsed or lowered position in Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view of parts of said device taken on line 33 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a side view of the device (shown in raised or usable position) and a vertical sectional view of the desk top and of parts of said device taken on line 44 of Figure 5;

Figure 5 is a front view of the said device (in raised position) and a vertical sectional view of the desk top taken on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a side view of portions of a modified construction of the device and a vertical sectional view of the desk top and of parts of said device, this View corresponding to portions of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a side view of another modified construction of the device, shown in raised or usable position and mounted on the upper surface of a table or the like shown in vertical section;

Figure 8 is a side view of the same shown in collapsed position, certain parts being 50 broken away to show interior parts; and

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view of certain parts thereof taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

In these drawings, a device for supporting books and the like is shown, mounted in a desktop 1 or on a table top 1 such as (with suitable legs or upright supports) is used in schools, etc. As illustrated, this desk top 1 has a bottom 2, ends 3, 3, a front 4, and a cover comprising a fixed portion 5 and a swingable lid portion 6 united by hinges 7.

The said supporting device as illustrated in Figures 15 comprises an upright casing 8 which is fastened at 9 on the bottom 2 of the desk top. The opposite ends of this casing form vertical guides 11, 11 in which slidably bear the opposite vertical posts or leg portions 10, 10 of a member 12. To these posts or leg portions is pivoted at 13 a hollow member 14 slidab-ly containing a second hollow member 15 which in turn slidably contains a plate or third member 16 on whose upper end the book holder 17 is carried. This book holder comprises a middle portion 18 fastened to the plate 16, an extension 19 and a ledge 20, which are hinged at 21 and 22 respectively to said middle portion, and in Figues 1, 4 and 5 are shown unfolded or turned outwardly to their position of use. These parts may be turned inwardly to the compact position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. Links 23 are pivoted at 24 on the legs 10, 10 and have longitudinal slots 25 in which move the lugs or pins 26 of the hollow member 14 when the same is swung on its pivots 13 to the vertical position seen in F igures 2 and 3, or to the inclined position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

t will be seen that the device, from its usable raised position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, may be collapsed and lowered by turning the extension 19 and ledge 20 to their positions shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, swinging the hollow member 14 to vertical position, pushing the plate 16 (which forms a supporting leg for the book rest 17) and the hollow member 15 inwardly, and the posts 10,

1O downwardly, whereupon said extension and ledge lie flat and at the same level as the. upper surface of the fixed portion 5 of the cover of the desk top, thus closing the opening 27 of said cover and the open top of the casing 8.

In this collapsed position of the device a spring-pressed ball catch 28 may be provided to engage in a suitable keeper socket 29 in the bottom of the member 14.

In the modified construction seen in Figure 6, the hollow vertical post is slidably mounted, and the hollow member 14 has a combined upwardly-sliding and swinging movement therein to usable position in which it is stopped by its projection 31 engaging the posts crescent-shaped abutment In the modified construction shown in Figures 7-9 the hollow vertical post 10 is pivotally mounted at 33 on the upper surface of a table 1 or the like, so that it may be turned horizontally. This post is open at its top and front side and contains the hollow member 14 swingable on its pivot 13 through the posts open side, this member 14 slidably containing the hollow member 15 which in turn slidably contains the member 16 The book holder 17 of this construction comprises a middle portion 18 an extension 19 and a ledge 20 which are hinged at 21 and 22 respectively to said middle portion, and are shown in Figure 7 unfolded or turned outwardly to their position of use.

A bracket 34 is mounted on the under side of portion 18 and is pivoted at 35 on the member 16 A latch 36 pivoted at 37 on this bracket has a hook end 38 engaging the outer end of member 16 to hold the portion 18 in its usable position. The ledge 20 has a curved arm 39 swinging therewith, and. the portion 19 has a short arm L0. A pair of links 41 and 42 are pivoted at 43 on the latch and at their opposite ends on the arms 39 and 40, at 44 and 45 respectively. It will be seen that when the ledge 20 is turned upwardly, these links cause the latch to release the member 16 and cause the portion 19 to swing downwardly, so that when the parts are moved to collapsed position seen in Figure 8, the middle portion 18 of the book holder closes the open front of the post 10 and the portion 19 closes its open top.

\Vhere it is unnecessary to provide a support for the book holder having so great a range of movement as is shown in the drawings, the slide member 15 or 15 may be omitted and the member 16 or 16 may bear slidingly in the member 14: directly; and where it is desirable to provide for a greater range of sliding movement for the book holder, additional relatively-movable parts may manifestly be added. Suitable means are desirably provided for limiting the movement of the parts, as the extensions 30 carried by the vertically slidable member 12 limiting its upward movement.

The invention being'intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. I11 a book support of the character described, a book holder comprising: a middle part, an extension portion and a ledge portion hinged to the middle part at its opposite edges respectively; link connections between said portions for swinging one of said portions by the swinging movement of the other portion.

2. In a book support of the character described, a supporting member and book holder pivotally mounted thereon comprising: a middle part, an extension portion and a ledge portion hinged to the middle part at its opposite edges respectively; a latch pivotally mounted on the middle part and adapted to engage the supporting member; link connections between the latch and said portions for disengaging the latch from the supporting member and swinging one of said portions by the swinging movement of the other portion.

3. In a collapsible book support of the character described: a hollow post member open at its top and at its front side; a supporting member pivotally mounted on the post member swingably to an extended position and to a collapsed position within the post member; a book holder comprising a middle part pivotally mounted on the supporting member and an extension portion hinged to the middle part, the middle part closing the open front of the post member and the extension portion closing the open top thereof in the collapsed position of the device.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 16th day of January, 1930.

HENRY E. BENNETT. 

